Kent's Police Commissioner Ann Barnes has released a statement after a Sunday newspaper reported that her newly appointed Youth Police & Crime Commissioner Paris Brown, 17, had been tweeting unsavoury messages. The messages were purported to include subjects such as drugs and drinking.

‘I absolutely do not condone the content and language of Paris' tweets. I suspect that many young people go through a phase during which they make silly, often offensive comments and show off on Facebook and Twitter. I think that if everyone’s future was determined by what they wrote on social networking sites between the ages of 14 and 16 we’d live in a very odd world. I also suspect that thousands of parents would be at best surprised and at worst deeply shocked and ashamed if they looked into the social networking of their children.

– Kent PCC Ann Barnes

‘Many will say that Paris has simply been through a phase, however unfortunate, that many teenagers go through. Thousands of people have already seen & heard this young lady articulate her ideas and been impressed by her maturity and her commitment during challenging interviews on national and local media before this story broke.

She has said herself that young people grow up very quickly these days and it's often difficult for them. This is a very difficult time for her personally, but she will learn quickly from this and rapidly mature into the confident young person we are already seeing.'**

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– Kent PCC Ann Barnes

'I deeply apologise for any offence caused by my use of inappropriate language and for any inference of inappropriate views. I am not homophobic, racist or violent and am against the taking of drugs.

If I’m guilty of anything it’s showing off and wildly exaggerating on Twitter and I am very ashamed of myself, but I can’t imagine that I’m the only teenager to have done this. Just as one example, the line about ‘Hash Brownies’ is a reference to a Scooby Doo film. I have a genuine interest in working with young people as demonstrated by my current work as an apprentice for a local authority.'